Cantile M, Schiavo G, Terracciano L, Cillo C
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008 Dec;18(10):651-8. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2008.08.001.
Homeobox containing genes are a family of transcription factors regulating normal development and controlling primary cellular processes (cell identity, cell division and differentiation) recently enriched by the discovery of their interaction with miRNAs and ncRNAs. Class I human homeobox genes (HOX genes) are characterized by a unique genomic network organization: four compact chromosomal loci where 39 sequence corresponding genes can be aligned with each other in 13 antero-posterior paralogous groups. The cardiovascular system is the first mesoderm organ-system to be generated during embryonic development; subsequently it generates the blood and lymphatic vascular systems. Cardiovascular remodelling is involved through homeobox gene regulation and deregulation in adult physiology (menstrual cycle and wound healing) and pathology (atherosclerosis, arterial restenosis, tumour angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis). Understanding the role played by homeobox genes in endothelial and smooth muscle cell phenotype determination will be crucial in identifying the molecular processes involved in vascular cell differentiation, as well as to support future therapeutic strategies. We report here on the current knowledge of the role played by homeobox genes in normal and abnormal vasculogenesis and postulate a common molecular mechanism accounting for the involvement of homeobox genes in the regulation of the nuclear export of specific transcripts potentially capable of generating endothelial phenotype modification involved in new vessel formation.
含同源框基因是一类转录因子，可调节正常发育并控制主要细胞过程（细胞特性、细胞分裂和分化），最近由于发现它们与微小RNA（miRNA）和非编码RNA（ncRNA）相互作用而备受关注。I类人类同源框基因（HOX基因）具有独特的基因组网络组织特征：四个紧密的染色体位点，其中39个序列对应的基因可在13个前后旁系同源组中相互排列。心血管系统是胚胎发育过程中最早产生的中胚层器官系统；随后它产生血液和淋巴血管系统。心血管重塑通过同源框基因的调节和失调参与成人生理学（月经周期和伤口愈合）和病理学（动脉粥样硬化、动脉再狭窄、肿瘤血管生成和淋巴管生成）。了解同源框基因在内皮细胞和平滑肌细胞表型确定中所起的作用，对于确定血管细胞分化所涉及的分子过程以及支持未来的治疗策略至关重要。我们在此报告关于同源框基因在正常和异常血管生成中作用的当前知识，并推测一种共同的分子机制，该机制解释了同源框基因参与调节特定转录本的核输出，这些转录本可能能够产生参与新血管形成的内皮表型修饰。
